However, they added, “such [high-density] zones are not always inBritain’s poorer areas – some are in relatively wealthier parts of the country, like Altrincham”.

And the RGF stressed that simplistic conclusions such as “the poorer the area the more gambling machines” should not be drawn.

“The report doesn’t tell us if higher machine density in an area means that people might gamble more. It doesn’t tell us if the way in which gambling machines are distributed has an effect on the likelihood that problem gambling will increase either. Nor does it tell us what other factors, besides the density of machines in an area, come into play, such as opening hours and how easy it is to get to a venue using transport or on foot,” said the RGF.

The researchers also found that “high-density machine zones are typically not present in very central, urban areas, but tend to be around satellite areas and towns”. For example, centralLondonhad no high-density zones; they suggest that rents may be a factor.

They analysed the Gambling Commission’s 2010 statutory returns forEngland,ScotlandandWales, covering venues such as casinos, bingo halls, amusement arcades and bookmakers, as well as a separate database of gaming machines in pubs and bars, which the Gambling Commission does not regulate.

From these figures they identified 8861 “machine zones”, each defined as an area of 400m radius around any venue which has one or more gambling machines. Of these, 383 areas were high-density machine zones, with more than one machine per hectare.

They then compared the distribution of these high-density zones with government figures on population size, age, income, economic activity and types of occupation.

Said Heather Wardle, research director at NatCen: “We hope the report helps to provide a foundation for further research into British gambling habits. Other potential areas of debate include the influence of gambling machine density on local economies and other leisure amenities – and on individuals’ gambling choices.”

Added the RGF’s chief executive Carol Stone: “This research provides the first solid evidence inGreat Britainabout where gambling machines are most densely located, along with the social and economic characteristics of those areas. It provides a useful basis to inform debate and develop policy around gambling machines and access to them. In the long run we expect it to lead to further research and policy work that is aimed at protecting vulnerable people from gambling-related harm.”

Earlier this year, the government minister responsible for gambling, John Penrose, was quoted as saying that “if you’re the minister you want to know if you increase this type of machine and decrease the numbers of that type of machine what will happen to problem gambling if you do. And at the moment there is no person I can turn to, no corpus of research, no authoritative body to say ‘you know what, if you change the way that this particular kind of machine is operated or in a particular kind of environment, then you will reduce the level of problem gambling or raise it’. And that is bad for all of us.”

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